Why Mobile Gaming is So Important to the Online Casino Industry
In 2021 the number of mobile users was at 7.1 billion. According to some projections by the end of 2022, that number will rise to 7.26 billion, and go to 7.5 billion by the year 2026. In other words, a huge chunk of the world’s population uses smartphones, and all businesses, online gambling included, basically care about this demographic. They want their content to be accessible via mobile, and it comes as no surprise that all of the highest paying online casino sites are either mobile-friendly or have a corresponding app. Moreover, these gambling sites allow users to handle payments and experience all of their content using their smartphones. 
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It’s also worth noting that 30% of the world’s population gambled at least once, so it’s safe to assume that at least 90% of smartphone owners are potential customers of online casinos. To promote the accessibility of their websites online casinos often offer special incentives for those who download the app. You may even find no wagering casino bonuses that can be claimed if you are logged in through your phone. These are special offers that are hard to find, which makes them ideal for prompting a call to action that leads to more app downloads. So, let’s see why mobile gaming is such an important aspect of the online casino industry.
Increased User Engagement
We all know just how frequently smartphones are used. When we are at a cafe, at a bus stop, or whenever we are taking a break, it’s common to browse the web, play games, or watch videos on mobile. Therefore, it is safe to assume that those who have a casino app installed on their phone are likely to use it whenever they are bored. It’s true that they can easily reach a website on a browser, but if they can do so by just clicking on the app it’s going to be a lot faster.
This also proves why there is such a high focus on creating a fast-paced and seamless user experience. Users can create an account, make a deposit and start playing within minutes. Moreover, the games are a lot faster, which means that players can have a satisfying game session that lasts between 15-20 minutes. This is another factor that impacts user engagement and makes them more likely to play casino games during their short breaks.
Easier and More Personalized Marketing
Another big advantage for operators is marketing. Online gambling sites cater to different player types. There are those who love to bet on sports, those who love slots, those who love table games, and of course people who play lottery games. When someone has an account and user history on the website, it’s easier to create a more personalized marketing campaign.
Whenever there are new and exciting sports matches, the online operator can send a notification to those users who typically bet on sports. They can inform them about new deals, bonuses, or special offers that are connected to sports betting. The same logic applies to slots or other games, like those found at https://online-casinos-australia.com/bitcoin-casinos/. Getting notifications that inform users about new content or new promotions is very useful, especially since gamblers love to save money.
Finally, this is extremely important in order for operators to comply with regulations. This activity is highly regulated, and users have the freedom to request self-exclusion. This means it becomes illegal for online casinos to provide the service or even to advertise their content to these users. By having the user’s phone number in their database online operators can easily mark that profile and cancel any automated notifications that would appear on that phone. In other words, it’s easier to comply with these regulations when operators and users interact via phone.
Safety and Privacy
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It’s a lot safer for players to enjoy online casinos via their phones. For starters, they are less likely to pick up malware and lose important information. Additionally, users can add two-factor authentication to their login, if they use their phones. This means that it’s significantly more difficult for someone to hack into their account, and gain access to personal information.
A similar logic can be applied to payments. When you use certain payment methods that are only available via phone, it’s more difficult for others to find out where you spend your money. Many users don’t like the idea of casino payments being visible on their bank statements. So, they use SMS payment or similar methods to fund their account. This means that their phone bill might be higher, but your transaction history will not include payments towards a gambling site.
Playing on a phone is a more private experience in general. When you play on a PC then everyone can see your monitor. When you use a smartphone, no one can tell with certainty what you are doing.
Accessibility
Phones are cheaper than PCs or laptops, so it’s far more likely for someone to have a smartphone than a computer. This is especially true for users who are located in developing countries. This means that it is in the casino’s best interest to have a mobile-friendly website. They are potentially losing money if they don’t design their platform to be compatible with smaller screen devices. Game developers use the same logic, and the great majority of both table and slot games are developed to work flawlessly on phones.
Moreover, there are a lot of countries that lack modern banking systems, which makes it difficult for users to have access to e-wallets or other payment services. In many places, casinos solely operate on SMS payments, which again demonstrates how this approach makes gambling content more accessible. Modern iOS and Android phones are expensive, but there are tons of refurbished older models that users can get cheap.
Improved User Satisfaction
Lastly, this is what users expect nowadays, and they would be frustrated if they cannot use their phones to play casino games. We live in an on-demand culture, and we have been conditioned to expect companies to be effective and available. So, it’s not that much about the importance of mobile community, it’s about reputation and staying competitive. It would be detrimental for a new operator to launch a website that doesn’t work on a smaller screen device.
The gaming industry has tapped into the power of microtransactions a long time ago. People are simply more likely to spend money if the transaction is small, and doesn’t feel like a big expense. This means they are less frustrated when they lose, and more likely to make future deposits.
Conclusion
To sum up, there are strong reasons for online gambling companies to care about mobile users. It’s one of the modern standards for all websites to be accessible via phones, and having these features doesn’t really affect gameplay in a negative way. For many gambling enthusiasts, mobile casinos are the only way to enjoy this content. Moreover, it’s a preferred method for handling transactions, and it makes it easier for operators to communicate with their user base. To that end, we will likely see further improvements to this experience, and get even better games that are mobile-friendly.
